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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28244469">Howl</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/disneydreamer43/pseuds/disneydreamer43'>disneydreamer43</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Basically, Ben is a teacher Rey deserves, Ben isn't though, F/M, Learning to read, Learning to write, Mowgli AU, No particular timeline, Rey's parents are jerks, Village life, Wolf Pack, Wolf hierarchy, but only with wolves, most of the time XD, survival in the woods, the forest is heavily inspired by OUAT's Enchanted Forest</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:28:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,915</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28244469</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/disneydreamer43/pseuds/disneydreamer43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben looked from the doll to the girl lying on the sand and seemed to realize for the first time he was looking at a <i>human</i>. A wounded, exhausted human. She could've easily used her knife — kill him, take all the fish. But instead, she stunned him and apparently hoped to take as much as she could until he'll wake up. She was hungry and desperate and apparently had no idea she could've just asked. But she didn't want to kill. Maybe she still had some humanity left in her?</p><p>Groaning loudly, Ben made up his mind.</p><p>“I hope I won't regret it.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Howl</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As he made his way through the wet thickets of fern, Ben already knew it was useless to go there today anyway. For the first time in three days the sun came out, and every fisherman in the village knew perfectly well that the biting will be excellent today. The trick is the fish swim closer to the surface to warm up a little on warmer days. Hence after several days of almost non-stop rain, the river will be swarming with fishermen.</p><p>His father once taught him.</p><p>The air was suddenly too humid for Ben, he started choking. It was as if cold droplets that entered his lungs turned to lead and settled there. The heavy weight in his chest made it difficult to move. Ben leaned against one of the nearby pines, trying to catch his breath. The wet bark cut uncomfortably into his back through the thin fabric of his shirt. But he knew it wasn't the humidity of air that botherd him. It's better not to think about his father.</p><p>Beex whined softly. His rough, cool nose pressed against Ben's palm. The Labrador always sensed his master's mood, such a sudden stop had frightened him.</p><p>“It's all right, Beex,” his voice, meanwhile, didn't sound convincing at all.</p><p>For about a minute Ben was thinking something over, then he turned in the direction of the house. The dog obediently followed, tail wagging contentedly.</p><p>No. There was no point in going to the river. There will be too many eyes. Eyes that don't want to see him.</p><p>But today was too good a day to miss out on fishing. Although Ben didn't quite like it — he found fishing rather boring and monotonous — all the food he had left was a deer shoulder and some potatoes. In the evening, he may be lucky enough to collect a couple of cucumbers in the greenhouse. But that was not enough in case it rains again. He needed to stock up on food while the weather allowed.</p><p>There was only one option left. Wolf Lake. Or, as they called it in the village, <i>the Forbidden Lake</i>.</p><p>Several packs of wolves lived in the lake part of the forest, not many dared to go there. The number of people missing in that area spoke for itself. Ben had long ago stopped to care though. It's not like anyone will mourn him if he doesn't come back. Except for, maybe, Beex.</p><p>To be honest, Ben preferred the lake over the river. So far, he had been lucky enough not to encounter a single wolf. But the risk was worth it. The lake was usually deserted. No judgmental glances or unfriendly whispers behind his back.</p><p>It was better for everyone that way.</p><p>Within a couple of minutes, the bag of supplies for the day was ready. All that remained was to take the fishing tackle from the small shed behind the house and dig up worms in the garden.</p><p>Apart from Beex, his faithful black Labrador, Ben lived alone. For twelve years now. After the death of his parents, he could no longer stay in the village, and although no one specifically asked him to leave, he decided that it would be the best solution for everyone. Being a 17-year-old boy, he had settled in his Uncle's abandoned house. People say Luke went looking for his father, was obsessed with the idea of finding hi m (no one knows why, but Leia always said he just didn't have anything else to do). What had become of him since then, Ben didn't know, but he decided that his Uncle will unlikely ever need this house.</p><p>Luke was a very ascetic man, practically a monk. He preferred solitude over luxury. His house showed that. The one-story structure was divided into three sections. There was a stove and a washbasin opposite the front door, above the basin hung a rather small rectangular mirror (the only one in the house) — this section was the smallest, Ben could cross it in two strides. To the left of the front door was the kitchen, which was slightly larger (Ben could cross it in four strides), but it didn't scream richness either: there was a table and two chairs by the window on the left wall, the entire opposite wall was covered with wooden shelves, where Ben now kept all sorts of spices, preserves, jams and other food supplies for the winter or in case he gets sick. The bedroom was located to the right of the front door and was comparable in size to the kitchen. This room was the most furnished. Basically, Ben moved his entire old room here: his bed, his wardrobe, his bedside table and even kerosene lamps — everything was brought from the parents' house.</p><p>Behind the house, there was a small shed with a basement (it was where Ben kept meat and most of his winter supplies), a greenhouse, a toilet and a bathing house (he had built the last two structures himself and didn't want to think of how his Uncle had managed without them).</p><p>When he was done with the worms, Ben called Beex, who had been very busy rolling happily in the dirt. Beex was the only bright spot in his life. It seemed like the dog was always happy about almost everything. Ben had no idea how he managed to live without him for the first five years. If he had lived alone for a few more, he would've definitely gone mad and probably left looking for someone else, too.</p><p>“Time to get some fresh air, huh, buddy?”</p><p>A loud bark was an eloquent enough response. Beex was practically jumping from excitement. Three days of incessant rain was torture enough for the hyperactive dog.</p><p>The road to the lake took longer than usual. The forest floor had practically turned into a swamp, in some areas it was impossible to walk without getting bogged down to the knees. On more than one occasion Beex had to help his master get out of particularly marshy places (given Ben's weight, he was sinking every ten minutes or so, and he started to doubt that damned fish was worth it).</p><p>They reached the lake in about an hour, judging by the position of the sun. Although usually the road took half as long.</p><p>Blurry circles that every now and then appeared on the water surface were evidence this jorney had to be worth it, in the end. And not a single soul around, not a single boat. His boat was the only one moored to the shore. It seemed as if the whole lake belonged to him and him alone.</p><p>As if on cue, a long-drawn-out howl was heard in the distance. Beex tensed.</p><p>Ah, yes. And <i>them</i>.</p><p>The dog bared its teeth and growled, its black eyes fixed on the nearby bushes. Ben didn't see anything there. Most likely, it was a mouse, or a squirrel. The Labrador loved to chase small rodents, and more than once his owner came across dead bodies on the porch. Beex usually sat next to his gross trophies, apparently waiting for praise.</p><p>“Beex, leave it.”</p><p>But the dog didn't seem to hear him, it continued to stare at the empty bushes as if spellbound. Ben tensed.</p><p>Thinking it over for about half a minute, he decided that a little inspection won't hurt. So he headed back to the edge of the forest, leaving the fishing tackle in the boat. Beex obediently followed.</p><p>As was expected, there was nothing interesting in the bushes, apart from a small piece of cloth caught on a branch. But the dog seemed to have found what it was looking for. It growled again, its eyes fixed on the small piece of faded cloth.</p><p>“What's wrong with you? It's just a rag. Leave it.”</p><p>Ben was getting tired of the situation. Deciding to leave the dog alone with the object of its sudden attention, he returned to the boat and began to prepare for departure. Taking off his muddy boots, he entered the water. It was almost unbearably cold at first. Even though spring was coming to an end, the water in the lake had obviously not warmed up yet. Ben tried to get used to the temperature by walking along the shore. The water was crystal clear, he could see every pebble under his feet. The advantages of not having people here were obvious. No left-over food, no sharp glass from broken bottles. No traces of humanity (except for the mysterious piece of cloth in the bushes). A real Paradise on earth.</p><p>A few minutes later, Beex finally joined him. The dog leaped into the water, making it splash. Ben shivered when a few droplets landed on his chest and abdomen.</p><p>“Look who's back.”</p><p>The dog ignored the comment, starting to chase after a swimming by frog. As if nothing had happened. Ben reasoned that three days of being locked up had obviously affected the Labrador more than he thought, since an ordinary piece of cloth had caused such an intense reaction. His master understood Beex perfectly though. Staying in a cramped house for a long time was comparable to torture.</p><p>Pushing aside those unpleasant thoughts, Ben focused on the task at hand. After getting used to the temperature, he began to go further into the lake, dragging the boat with him. When the water started to reach his mid-thigh and the cold became unbearable, he reasoned that it was time to get inside. Beex didn't seem bothered by the icy water at all. He was swimming not far away from the boat but just out of reach for his master, preventing all the attempts to drag him inside the wooden constrution.</p><p>As expected, by evening the huge basket that Ben had thoughtfully taken with him was filled to the brim with fish. Beex had long been bored with swimming, and, when he finally got into the boat, he began to humbly wait when the human will return them to the land. The dog didn't even try to hide his boredom and was once more excited only during dinner time, when Ben gave him some raw venison. By the end of the day, a sole sight of the fish seemed to make him sick. His master couldn't agree more.</p><p>“What do you think? Is it enuogh for us in case it rains again?”</p><p>Beex whined plaintively. Not only did he have to sit in a small boat all day, tolerating the characteristic smell of fish, but, in addition, his master doesn't miss the opportunity to remind him of his most hated time of the year — the time when it rains, when they have to sit at home for days.</p><p>Ben patted the dog's neck reassuringly, “No need to be so sad. It's almost summer. You'll have plenty of time to run around as much as you want soon enough.”</p><p>When they reached the land, Ben began to moor the boat and unload the catch. Beex couldn't believe his luck, furiously burrowing into the rough surface of the beach, raising a cloud of dust around him in the proccess. The dog received a few disapproving glances from his human when said human was "accidentally" doused with waves of sand. But Ben knew he deserved it, so he never tried to actually stop the Labrador. Beex was just playing. Ben knew perfectly well that he wasn't doing it out of spite.</p><p>“Well, that's it. Enough, Beex. Let's go home. Or maybe you want to spend the night here?”</p><p>The dog seemed to be waiting for this command. Before Ben could finish the sentence, the Labrador rushed towards the forest with the speed of an arrow.</p><p>The sun was setting, and dusk was approaching. They had to get home before dark. Ben honestly didn't know how it can be achieved when he was about to sink knee-deep into the mud again, this time with a massive basket full of fish in his arms. But it was worth a shot.</p><p>As he was passing by the familiar bushes, he noticed that piece of cloth again. Like before, it was hanging from one of the twigs. The thought had suddenly crossed his mind that he didn't want to know the fate of its owner. He had a bad feeling about this person, for some reason. People avoided this place not for nothing, after all.</p><p>A loud bark brought him back to reality. Beex was running toward him with maddening speed, growling angrily. The dog looked like it was about to kill: its teeth were bared, saliva was flying from its mouth, its eyes were two black slits.</p><p>What the hell happened?!</p><p>Or...</p><p>Rather <i>was happening</i>.</p><p>The next moment, he felt dull pain pierce the back of his head. His vision darkened but he managed to stay on his feet, only dropping the basket. Turning around was an impossible task now, his head was gradually filling with fog. His heart seemed to be pounding in his temples, drowning out everything around him. Ben was disoriented.</p><p>In order not to pass out completely, he fell to his knees and began to breathe deeply. Maybe if he'll saturate his body with oxygen, he'll manage to stay conscious.</p><p>But even through the haze of semi-consciousness, Ben could make out the sounds of a struggle: claws were clattering, Beex was barking, and... someone else was growling. Had the wolf crept up so stealthily? What kind of blind idiot won't notice a fucking wolf behind his back?</p><p>The fight didn't last long. At one point, there was a thud, as if a body had fallen to the sand. Ben's heart skipped a beat: his life depended on the winner now. It was only when the black Labrador sat down directly opposite him, wagging its tail triumphantly, that he let out a ragged breath.</p><p>It took him a few minutes to fully recover from the shock. But even then, he wasn't ready to turn around. An inexplicable fear gripped his mind.</p><p>Meanwhile, it was getting darker. There wasn't a chance he'll stay here until nightfall because of his own cowardice.</p><p>Determined to get it over with as quickly as possible (he had already waited long enough), Ben got up from the ground and, before he could change his mind, he turned around...</p><p>His heart stopped for a second.</p><p>It was no wolf.</p><p>It was a <i>girl</i>. And, apparently, very young. Ben wouldn't have given her more than twenty. She was practically a child.</p><p>But what had struck him the most was her appearance. Had he met her in the woods at night, he wouldn't have thought she was human. Instead of clothes, she wore crudely sewn leather bags; her hair, braided in a long, sloppy braid, looked like it was once a part of a bear rug; a wolfskin was draped over her back. There was some semblance of cloth wraped around her arms. Ben recognized it immediately.</p><p><i>She followed us</i>, he realized, <i>wanted to steal the fish</i>.</p><p>And, honestly speaking, if she had just asked for it like a normal human, he would have given her half of his basket voluntarily. Her baggy clothes (if one could call <i>that</i> clothes) didn't cover how thin she was. But it seemed there wasn't much of a human left in her.</p><p>Her malnourished body was sprawled on the sand in an unnatural position, her head rested on a massive, moss-covered boulder. Her forehead was split, and a small crimson puddle had already formed at the base of the boulder.</p><p>Ben finally realized that blood was trickling down his neck, too. She had stunned him with a rock. Now her head was split open 'cause she fell on a boulder. Somehow this ironic fact didn't make him feel better.</p><p>In any case, he had to get home before the real wolves will smell the blood. It was already quite dark. Beex wouldn't leave his master's side now.</p><p>Ben was about to turn toward the forest when his eyes fell on something lying not far from the girl. Up close, it turned out to be a leather bag, as crudely sewn as her clothes. Of course, it was indecent to go through other people's things. But on the other hand, she hit him with a rock. What manners are we talking about? Eventually, curiosity got the better of him, and Ben peered inside.</p><p>He was not at all surprised to find a makeshift wooden knife at the bottom of the bag. There was one other thing inside though that made him hold his breath for a second. It was a doll. A normal-looking human rag doll with black rope-like hair and a lilac dress. The strangest thing of all was that the doll was relatively clean, although clearly old (one button eye was missing). Ben looked from the doll to the girl lying on the sand and seemed to realize for the first time he was looking at a <i>human</i>. A wounded, exhausted human. She could've easily used her knife — kill him, take all the fish. But instead, she stunned him and apparently hoped to take as much as she could until he'll wake up. She was hungry and desperate and apparently had no idea she could've just asked. But she didn't want to kill. Maybe she still had some humanity left in her?</p><p>Groaning loudly, Ben made up his mind.</p><p>“I hope I won't regret it.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Beex is a reference to BX-778 — Ben's childhood culinary droid, who's just the absolute best XD</p><p>P. S. Sorry for any possible mistakes, I'm not a native speaker ^^;</p></blockquote></div></div>
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